1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-direction input device capable of fetching a sensing signal which is generated by actuating a lever member inclinably supported by a case and corresponds to an amount of inclination of the lever member.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 8 to 10 are views explaining a conventional art of this type of a multi-direction input device. In the figures, the multi-direction input device is mainly composed of a box-shaped frame member 51, which has an upper plate section through which a circular insert hole 51a is formed and an open lower surface, two rotary type variable resistors 52 mounted on a side plate section of the frame member 51, first and second association members 56 and 59, which overlap each other in an intersecting state and are suspended in the frame member 51, a lever member 62, which passes through the first and second association members 56 and 59 and projects from the insert hole 51a of the frame member 51, a return spring 71 for automatically returning the lever member 62 to its original position, a holder member 68 for holding the return spring 71, and a lid plate 72 for covering the open lower surface of the frame member 51.
The frame member 51 is formed by bending a flat metal sheet and has confronting pairs of side wall sections through which a pair of locking holes 51b and 51d and a pair of locking holes 51c and 51e are formed, respectively. The rotary type variable resistors 52 are mounted on the outer wall surfaces of the side wall sections having the locking holes 51c and 51d formed therethrough, respectively. As shown in FIG. 9, a resistance value of each rotary type variable resistor 52 is varied in such a manner that the rotation of a shaft 54 held through the shaft hole 53a of a mounting frame 53 causes a not shown slider, which is caulked on a rotary plate 54a, to slide on a resistor plate 55.
The first association member 56 includes an arch-shaped base section 57, and mounting sections 58 disposed on both the sides of the base section 57. The base section 57 includes a hole 57a formed therethrough so as to extend in the lengthwise direction thereof, and a shaft hole 58a is formed through each mounting section 58. Then, the first association member 56 is turnably suspended in the frame member 51 in such a manner that it is supported by the frame member 51 with both the mounting sections 58 locked in the pair of locking holes 51c and 51e. The shaft 54 of one of the rotary type variable resistors 52 is inserted into the shaft hole 58a of the mounting section 58 locked in the locking hole 51c under pressure.
The second association member 59 includes a columnar base section 60 whose central portion is swelled, and mounting sections 61 disposed on both the ends of the base section 60. A hole 60a, which extends in the lengthwise direction of the base section 60, and an inserting hole 60b, which intersects the hole 60a, are formed through the swelled portion of the base section 60, respectively, and a shaft hole 61a is formed through one of the mounting sections 61. Then, the second association member 59 is turnably suspended in the frame member 51 in a state in which it overlaps the first association member 56 in an intersecting state in such a manner that it is supported by the frame member 51 with both the mounting sections 61 locked in the pair of locking holes 51b and 51d. The hole 57a confronts the hole 60a at the portion where the first association member 56 overlaps the second association member 59, and the shaft 54 of the other of the rotary type variable resistors 52 is inserted into the shaft hole 61a of the mounting section 61 locked in the locking hole 51d under pressure.
The lever member 62 includes a rectangular support section 63, a shaft section 64 projecting from the upper and lower ends of the support section 63, and a disc-shaped spring receiver 65 located at a lower portion of the support section 63 and formed integrally with the shaft section 64, and the support section 63 has a through hole 63a formed therethrough. Then, the lever member 62 is inclinably supported by the frame member 51 through the second association member 59 in such a manner that the shaft section 64 is inserted into the holes 57a and 60a of the first and second association members 56 and 59, and a round pin 66, which has been inserted from the inserting hole 60b of the second association member 59, is inserted into the through hole 63a. Further, a knob 67 is secured to the upper end of the shaft section 64 projecting from the insert hole 51a of the frame member 51.
The holder member 68 includes a cup-shaped spring receiver 69, and a cylindrical boss section 70 which stands on the inner bottom surface of the spring receiver 69. As shown in FIG. 9, the spring receiver 69 is accommodated in the frame member 51 with a return spring 71, which is composed of a conical coil spring, accommodated in the spring receiver 69 and with the lower end of the shaft section 64 of the lever member 62 inserted into the boss section 70. In the above arrangement, the upper end of the return spring 71 abuts the spring receiver 65 of the lever member 62.
The lid plate 72 is formed of a flat metal sheet and has a rectangular shape and its mounting pieces 72a are suitably secured to the lower end of the frame member 51 so as to close the lower surface thereof. Then, the spring receiver 69 of the holder member 68 is elastically abutted against the lid plate 72 by the elastic force of the return spring 71. The lever member 62 is held by the elastic abutment at an initial position which is vertical to the lid plate 72 shown in FIG. 9, whereby a clearance t is formed between the upper end of the boss section 70 of the holder member 68 and the spring receiver 65 of the lever member 62.
Next, a method of assembling the multi-direction input device arranged as described above will be described. First, the lever member 62 is inserted into the hole 60a of the second association member 59 from the upper end thereof, and the round pin 66 is inserted into the through hole 63a from the inserting hole 60b so as to assemble the lever member 62 and the second association member 59. Then, the lever member 62 is inserted into the hole 57a of the first association member 56 from the upper end side thereof so that first association member 56 overlaps the second association member 59 in an intersecting state, whereby the lever member 62 and the first and second association members 56 and 59 are arranged as a unit. Thereafter, the unit is inserted into the frame member 51 from the open lower surface thereof with the lower ends of the side wall sections of the frame member 51 slightly pushed externally and widened, the upper end of the shaft section 64 is caused to project from the insert hole 51a, the side wall sections of the frame member 51 are returned inwardly, and the first and second association members 56 and 59 are suspended by the frame member 51 with the mounting sections 58 and 61 locked in and supported by the locking holes 51b to 51e while adjusting a bending angle of the side wall sections with respect to an upper plate section.
Next, the knob 67 is secured to the lever member 62, the two rotary type variable resistors 52 are mounted on the side wall sections of the frame member 51, then the return spring 71 is accommodated in the spring receiver 69 of the holder member 68, the shaft section 64 of the lever member 62 is inserted into the boss section 70, and the holder member 68 is accommodated in the frame member 51. Thereafter, the mounting pieces 72a are suitably secured to the lower end of the frame member 51, and the lid plate 72 is mounted on the frame member 51.
In the conventional multi-direction input device arranged and assembled as described above, when an operator inclines the knob 67, the lever member 62 is inclined and the first and second association members 56 and 59 are turned while the shaft section 64 of the lever member 62 is loosely moved in the holes 57a and 60a, whereby the respective shafts 54 of the two rotary type variable resistors 52 are rotated. Simultaneously with the above operation, since the holder member 68 is inclined together with the lever member 62, the lower end of the shaft section 64 is further inserted into the boss section 70 with the return spring 71 compressed by the spring receiver 65 so that the holder member 68 approaches the spring receiver 65 as shown in FIG. 10. As the shafts 54 are rotated, varied resistance values are fetched from the terminals 73 extracted from the resistor plates 55 of the respective rotary type variable resistors 52 as detecting signals corresponding to amounts of inclination of the lever member 62. The detecting signals are supplied to, for example, a display device (not shows) so that a position of a cursor on a display can be controlled.
Further, when a force for inclining the knob 67 is removed, the holder member 68 is returned to the lid plate 72 side by a restoring force of the return spring 71 and raised together with the lever member 62, so that the lever member 62 is returned to its initial position and the state shown in FIG. 9 is restored.
However, the above conventional multi-direction input device has the following drawbacks. That is, since the rotary type variable resistors 52 are mounted on the outside wall surfaces of the side wall sections of the frame member 51, the size of the multi-direction input device is increased by the spaces where the rotary type variable resistors 52 are mounted in a direction, where a straight line 59a connecting the centers of turn of both the mounting sections 51 of the second association member 59, extends and in a direction, where a straight line connecting the centers of turn of both the mounting sections 58 of the first association member 56, extends similarly to the above. Accordingly, it is difficult to reduce the size of the multi-direction input device.
Further, since a job is necessary to return the side wall sections of the frame member 51 inwardly, which has been widened externally in order to suspend the first and second association members 56 and 59 by the frame member 51, and to adjust a bending angle of the side wall sections with respect to the upper plate section, a problem arises in that the number of man-hours is increased and a cost is increased thereby.
Furthermore, the movement of the mounting sections 58 and 61 in the locking holes 51b to 51e is regulated by variations in a bending angle of the side wall sections of the frame member 51 with respect to the upper plate section regulate, and the turning motions of the first and second association members 56 and 59 are obstructed thereby. Accordingly, the assembly process of the multi-direction input device becomes very complex to improve an accuracy of the bending angle.
A first object of the present invention, which was made in view of the circumstances of the above conventional technology, is to provide a multi-direction input device capable of reducing the size thereof in the directions where the straight lines connecting the centers of turn of mounting sections extend.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a multi-direction input device which permits first and second association members to easily be suspended and to smoothly be turned without the need of any adjustment.
To achieve the above object, one of the most important features of an multi-direction input device of the present invention resides in that it includes first and second association members overlapping each other in an intersecting state and each including a base section, which has a hole formed therethrough at the position thereof where they overlap each other, and mounting sections disposed at both the ends of the base section; a case for supporting the mounting sections of the first and second association members, respectively and for turnably suspending them; and a lever member inclinably supported by the case and inserted into the respective holes of the first and second association members, wherein a first actuating section, which projects in a direction intersecting a straight line connecting the centers of turn of both the mounting sections of the first association member is formed on the base section thereof, a second actuating section, which projects in a direction intersecting a straight line connecting the centers of turn of both the mounting sections of the second association member, is disposed on the base section thereof, the inclination of the lever member causes the first actuating section to turn together with the first association member and the second actuating section to turn together with the second association member, and the case is provided with a first turn detecting unit for detecting the turn of the first actuating section and with a second turn detecting unit for detecting the turn of the second actuating section.
Accordingly, the first and second turn detecting units can be disposed in the direction which intersects the straight line connecting the centers of turn of both the mounting sections of the first association member and in the direction which intersects the straight line connecting the centers of turn of both the mounting sections of the second association member, respectively, whereby the size of the multi-direction input device can be reduced in the direction where the straight line connecting the centers of turn of both the mounting sections of the first association member extends and in the direction where the straight line connecting the centers of turn of both the mounting sections of the second association member extends.
In the above arrangement, each of the first and second turn detecting units includes a movable member disposed on the case so as to reciprocate thereon, fixed side elements fixed on the case, and a movable side element disposed on the movable member and forming a signal creating section together with the fixed side elements, the movable member of the first turn detecting unit and the movable member of the second turn detecting unit are engaged with the first and second actuating sections, respectively and moved as the first and second actuating sections are turned, whereby the signal creating sections of the first and second turn detecting units create detecting signals.
Accordingly, the turns of the first and second actuating sections can be reliably detected in spite of that the above components are arranged simply.
In the above arrangement, the movable side element is composed of a resistor layer formed on the movable member and the fixed side elements is composed of sliders which are in sliding contact with the resistor layer as well as terminals for outputting the detecting signal are formed integrally with the sliders.
Therefore, the resistor layer can easily be formed by print with improved productivity, and the number of components can be reduced by forming the sliders integrally with the terminals.
Further, in the above arrangement, the case includes four standing walls disposed on the four sides thereof, the first and second association members are turnably suspended by the four standing walls with the respective mounting sections thereof locked thereto, and the first and second turn detecting unit are disposed in a region surrounded by the four standing walls.
Accordingly, the first and second association members can easily be supported by the case so that the multi-direction input device can easily be assembled as well as the first and second detecting units can be disposed making use of the space occupied by the first and second actuating sections in the case, whereby the size of the device can be more reduced.
In the above arrangement, round-shaped portions are formed at the extreme ends of the first and second actuating sections, and slots, into which the round-shaped portions are inserted, are formed through the movable members.
Therefore, no backlash arises in the movement of the movable members, whereby the responsiveness of the first and second detecting units can be improved.
To achieve the above second object, another of the most important features of a multi-direction input device of the present invention resides in that it includes a case including a bottom wall section and four standing walls disposed on the four sides thereof; first and second association members overlapping each other in an intersecting state and supported by the case and having holes formed therethrough at the positions thereof where they overlap each other; and a lever member inclinably supported by the case and inserted into the respective holes of the first and second association members, wherein locking holes are formed through the four standing walls, respectively, the first and second association members are inserted from the free end sides of the four standing walls while flexing them externally, and both the ends of the first and second association members are locked in the respective locking holes of the four standing walls, which have elastically returned inwardly and snapped therein, whereby the first and second association members are turnably suspended by the respective confronting pairs of standing walls.
Accordingly, since the adjustment job described in the conventional art is not necessary and the multi-direction input device can simply be assembled, the first and second association members can easily be suspended and the first and second association members can smoothly be turned without the need of any adjustment.
In the above arrangement, taper surfaces are formed on the free end sides of the four standing walls on the inner wall surfaces thereof such that they incline inwardly toward the bottom wall section from the extreme ends of the free end sides, and both the ends of the first and second association members are inserted into and locked in the respective locking holes of the four standing walls by being guided by the taper surfaces.
Thus, both the ends of the first and second association members can simply be locked in the respective locking holes of the four standing walls and snapped therein.
In the above arrangement, the lever member, which has been inserted into the hole of the second association member, is locked and snapped therein so as to be mounted on the second association member.
Accordingly, the lever member can simply be supported by the case through the second association member.
In the above arrangement, a first actuating section, which projects in a direction intersecting a straight line connecting the centers of turn of mounting sections disposed at both the ends of the first association member, is formed on the first association member, a second actuating section, which projects in a direction intersecting a straight line connecting the centers of turn of mounting sections disposed at both the ends of the second association member, is disposed on the second association member, the inclination of the lever member causes the first actuating section to turn together with the first association member and the second actuating section to turn together with the second association member, and the case is provided with a first turn detecting unit for detecting the turn of the first arm and a second turn detecting unit for detecting the turn of the second arm.
Accordingly, the first and second turn detecting units can be disposed in the direction which intersects the straight line connecting the centers of turn of both the mounting sections of the first association member and in the direction which intersects the straight line connecting the centers of turn of both the mounting sections of the second association member, respectively, whereby the size of the multi-direction input device can be reduced in the direction where the straight line connecting the centers of turn of both the mounting sections of the first association member extends and in the direction where the straight line connecting the centers of turn of both the mounting sections of the second association member extends.
Further, in the above arrangement, each of the first and second turn detecting units includes a movable member disposed on the case so as to reciprocate, fixed side elements fixed to the case, and a movable side element disposed on the movable member and forming a signal creating section together with the fixed side elements, the movable member of the first turn detecting unit and the movable member of the second turn detecting unit are engaged with the first and second arm sections and moved as the first and second arm sections are turned, whereby the signal creating sections of the first and second turn detecting units create detecting signals.
Accordingly, the turns of the first and second actuating sections can be reliably detected in spite of that the above components are arranged simply.